The national motto of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is 'Mir woelle bleive wat mer sin' ('We want to remain what we are'). This may appear to be an unambitious aim, but sitting in the Restaurant L'Agath, a few miles from the centre of Luxembourg city, on a warm Sunday afternoon, it seems to me a pretty sound one.
BARS
Cafe’ des Artistes
Montëe du Grund 2. ‘Allo, ‘Allo meets Cabaret, with a pianist singing phlegmy French chansons, posters of Jacques Brel and a large cartoon of a naked Charles Aznavour opposite the entrance.
Taverne Welle-Man
Rue Wiltheim 12. Old bar with a tiled floor, a collection of tea urns and an impressive Art Nouveau bureau. The terrace has great views over the lower town. Serves the entertainingly named Bofferdinge lagers.
Peche Mignon
Rue du St-Esprit 17. Relatively sophisticated 1980s-style cocktail lounge, just the place to sample local wines
Le Grand Cafe
Place d’Armes 9. Large, busy cafe’ in the centre of the city with a regular clientele and a menu that changes regularly
GETTING THERE
British Airways (0345 222111) flies daily from both Gatwick and Heathrow
Luxair The national carrier, (01293 596633), flies daily from Heathrow, and also from Stansted and London City Airport
Sabena (0845 601 0933) has daily flights from Heathrow via Brussels
Rail Europe (0990 848848) has return train fares from London Waterloo to Luxembourg
WHERE TO EAT
Clairefontaine Place de Clairefontaine 9, Luxembourg city (00 35 2 462211). In an elegant square near the centre of the old town, chef Tony Tintinger offers up a chequerboard of venison and foie gras with truffle-studded jus, roast lobster with green asparagus and almonds and the like
Au Quai De La Gare Place de la Gare 13, Luxembourg city (00 35 2 406767).
Cantine Mousel Montet de Clausen 46, Luxembourg city (00 35 2 470198). The dining room of the Mousel Brewery offers a range of mighty Luxembourgeois specialities, such as roast collar of pork with broad beans, most of which owe their existence to the domestication of the wild boar. Many come accompanied by dumplings, noodles and/or chips. Those with smaller appetites may prefer the veal escalope. The unfiltered Mousel lager, cloudy and with a nutty aftertaste of yeast, is arguably Luxembourg best beer.
Chez Bacano Rue de Clausen 59, Luxembourg city (00 35 2 431840). A vast Iberian place of interconnecting rooms which fills up fast on Saturday nights with people drinking vinho verde and eating the chunky flaming gambas. Alternatives are severely limited; dessert is ice cream
WHERE TO STAY
The Ae’rogolf (Route de Treves 1; 00 35 2 340571; doubles from about 10,400 Luf, about £165), which, as its name suggests, has a golf course and is near the airport
The Inter-Continental …in Dommeldange (rue Jean Engling 12; 00 35 2 437810; doubles from £95).
Le Royal In Luxembourg city’s old town, (boulevard Royal 12; 00 35 2 241 6161; doubles from £170) smart but rather anonymous.
The Grand Hotel Gravat (boulevard Franklin Delano Roosevelt 29; 00 35 2 221975; doubles from £120), is a family-run establishment close to the cathedral that combines a degree of luxury with some pleasantly eccentric local touches and a ‘1960s-style bistro’. |
